A vehicular airbag restraint system generally includes a pyrotechnic inflator which may comprise a cylindrical housing which encloses some form of gas generating material which, when ignited, generates a non-toxic inert gas under pressure within the housing. The inflator, along with an uninflated, folded airbag which is to be inflated by the gas, is disposed in an internal cavity of a reaction can along with means to control deployment. In an emergency situation inert gas is generated in the inflator housing and the gas is directed rapidly through a plurality of nozzles formed in the inflator housing and into the airbag to force the airbag out of the reaction can to inflate the airbag. One location for such a vehicular airbag restraint system is in the instrument panel or dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle for passive protection of a passenger in the vehicle.
Some inflators are constructed with a flanged base at one end of the cylindrical housing, while other inflators are designed without a flanged base. In either case, packaging and weight limitations may require airbag inflators to be shorter than the reaction cans in which they are housed. This situation requires an inflator to reaction can interface device that is cost effective, durable and squeak- and rattle-free and will center and support the flangeless based end of the inflator without the benefit of a flanged base.